Morning News
From the Associated Press
Politely but firmly pressing for greater freedoms on China's own turf, President Barack Obama spoke against censorship Monday, saying tough criticisms of political leaders should be allowed and the free flow of information on the Internet "should be encouraged."
Opening his first-ever visit to China, a critically important U.S. partner on economic and security matters, Obama said crucial problems cannot be solved unless the world's only superpower and its rising competitor work together. "More is gained when great powers cooperate than when they collide," he said.
But on a visit that had him wading into sensitive territory with his tightly controlled host country, Obama also openly prodded Beijing to accept what he called "universal rights."
"We do not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation," Obama said at a town hall with Chinese university students, believed to be the most extensive such forum held by a U.S. president on Chinese soil. But, he said, such things as freedom of expression and worship, unfettered access to information and unrestricted political participation "should be available to all people, including ethnic and religious minorities, whether they are in the United States, China or any nation…"
From CQ Politics
President Obama’s 13 million-strong campaign e-mail list has been transformed into a mass political operation dedicated to enacting his agenda — along with its apparent readiness to help elect Democratic candidates and eventually re-elect the president…
The operation began with a few people in a room with an e-mail list; Stewart and his deputy, Jeremy Bird, along with former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe Cheap Cialis — known as the steward of the campaign e-mail list.
According to OFA officials, the group has now built a sprawling infrastructure to complement its vast membership. It now has offices, many housed within local Democratic Party outlets in 48 states, staffed by state directors, aides, local organizers and volunteers. The operation is sufficiently well-organized in that it has been able to organize numerous events on behalf of Obama’s health care overhaul initiative, one OFA official said. On Oct. 20, OFA generated more than 300,000 phone calls to Capitol Hill in support of the initiative…
From the Huffington Post
If there was any doubt that Senate Republicans are eager to drag their heels when it comes to health care reform, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) removed it on Sunday.
The Kentucky Republican, during an appearance on "Fox News Sunday," demanded that the Senate take, at the very least, six weeks to deliberate legislation once it is sent to the floor for amendments.
"There will be a lot of amendments over a lot of weeks. The Senate is not the House, you saw in the House there was three votes and it was over in one day," McConnell warned. "This will be on the floor for quite a long time…"
From the Gloucester County Times
U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo can expect some visitors over his decision to vote against the Affordable Health Care for America Act.
The Republican from Ventnor, who represents the 2nd District, is one of two members of the House of Representatives from New Jersey being targeted by the Democratic National Committee…
“Last fall, voters in New Jersey’s 2nd and 7th Congressional Districts voted for President Barack Obama and sent Reps. Lance and LoBiondo to Congress,” said OFA State Director Samantha Gordon. “The House’s vote offered a choice for members — stand with your constituents and support reform, or side with the insurance companies by voting against reforming our broken health insurance system…
From the Commercial Appeal
Each e-mail began with the sender's name, complete mailing address and telephone number. They all basically said the same thing, just in different ways...
By Monday night, I had had enough. So when Hines' message arrived at 9:17 p.m. -- just as my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers were applying a whipping to the Denver Broncos -- I decided to call her and find out, once and for all, what or who is behind this campaign to pester me night and day.
I expected double talk or no response at all. But I got surprising candor. Hines, like most of the other messengers, is an ardent supporter of President Barack Obama and sincerely wants Congress to pass health care legislation...
A registered nurse for 16 years, she often logs on to a pro-Obama Web site called Organizing for America. She and other e-mailers I talked to last week said they were prompted to send letters to their local newspapers expressing support for the bill and praise for their local U.S. representative who voted for passage.
The Organizing for America site gives supporters step-by-step instructions for sending the letter and includes some talking points for them to use. But the site stresses that the letter should contain the writer's personal story about why they support universal health care legislation.
Through the magic of the Organizing for America site, each letter directed to The Commercial Appeal ended up in my e-mail box...
Lancaster resident Adele Taylor Ulrich is a dancer, choreographer, movement therapist and political activist. She is, in a word, busy.
"I've considered giving up eating and sleeping," she quipped in an interview, which was shoehorned into her jampacked schedule…
Much of her time these days is spent volunteering for Organizing for America, President Barack Obama's grass-roots political organization.
As OFA's community organizer for Lancaster, Ulrich has been running phone banks, and canvassing for support on behalf of the president's push for health care reform. Since the U.S. House of Representatives passed its health care bill, the battle over reform has moved to the Senate.
"It's going to be quite a fight, so we're working very hard to educate people," Ulrich said…
During the presidential primaries, Ulrich got a call from a friend, who was a local field organizer for the Obama campaign. Her friend asked Ulrich to open her home as a staging location for campaign staff and volunteers.
Still in pain from her cancer treatments, Ulrich agreed. That very evening, a half-dozen or so campaign staffers were at her dining room table, and Ulrich was all in…